{"id":15731,"date":"2014-05-15T09:33:58","date_gmt":"2014-05-15T13:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/?p=15731"},"modified":"2015-07-25T13:06:28","modified_gmt":"2015-07-25T17:06:28","slug":"coloring-outside-the-lines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/2014\/05\/15\/coloring-outside-the-lines\/","title":{"rendered":"Coloring Outside the Lines"},"content":{"rendered":"

A bin of orange bouncy balls caught Sidney Mullis’ eye during a routine trip to Wal-Mart.  The University of Mary Washington studio art major<\/a> snapped up a plastic ball and pondered the creative possibilities.<\/p>

\"Sidney<\/a>
Sidney Mullis ’14 blends her interests in studio art, theater and performance art in her work.
Photo by Leigh Williams ’14.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

She transformed the cheap childhood toy into wearable art that she later filmed for a performance art piece called “Straight.” The coming-of-age work earned her the Melchers Gray Purchase Award<\/a>  at UMW’s annual student art exhibition in April, ensuring the work a place in UMW’s permanent art collection.<\/p>

Mullis, already an accomplished artist as a 2014 graduate, often traverses the line between art and theatre in her work. She isn’t afraid to take risks, and admits she doesn’t fit neatly into conventional categories.<\/p>

“I don’t really know where I sit in between the two [disciplines], and I’m actually happy about that,” she said. “I think there is something more interesting to me when I don’t know. I think that goes into my working process, too.”<\/p>

With “Straight” and her other pieces, Mullis works quickly, often going from the store to the studio to start on an idea.<\/p>

“I won’t measure on purpose because I want to see the things that are considered ‘wrong’ happen,” she said.  “I want to see how I can make it work. It leaves it open to me for more discovery. That’s why I don’t want to choose a spot between theater and art – it leaves it open to me to change things around.”<\/p>

Mullis started her journey into the arts as a ballet dancer in elementary school. She thrived on the creativity and expression of the art form, but realized that a career in classical ballet wasn’t in her future. One art class in high school and she was hooked.<\/p>

Mullis won the 2014 Melchers Gray Purchase Award for her work, \"Straight.\" Photo provided by Mullis.<\/a>
Mullis won the 2014 Melchers Gray Purchase Award for her work, “Straight.”
Photo provided by Mullis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

She came to UMW set on majoring in studio art, but soon discovered parallels between her childhood passion for her dance and the behind-the-scenes world of theater.<\/p>

“I think I was drawn to it from dancing,” she said of her first set design class. “Although I wasn’t on stage, it was the same atmosphere. From there I started doing performance art.”<\/p>

To Mullis, performance art breaks down the ritual of traditional theater, allowing for a more open experience.<\/p>

“Sidney’s work blends interests in sculpture, video, performance, theater, and feminist theory…all seemingly complicated subjects, yet she her work possesses a wry sense of humor,” said Carole Garmon, chair of the Department of Art and Art History. “She is committed to the art of learning and she is a consummate thinker.”<\/p>

On a larger scale, Mullis’ work was recently seen in the recent theater production<\/a> of “Lysistrata.” She designed and built the large, colorful set for the ancient Greek comedy.<\/p>

“Sidney is a truly extraordinary student of the arts,” said Julie Hodge, associate professor of theatre. “She is the delightful combination of a brilliant intellect and a curious and creative mind.  Sidney creates thought-filled artwork with agile hands and a work ethic that is second to none. I have no doubt that she is just beginning to make her impact on the art world.”<\/p>

\"Mullis<\/a>
Mullis created and built the set for UMW’s production of “Lysistrata.”
Photo by Leigh Williams ’14.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

For Mullis, creativity knows no bounds, and she revels in the nuances of all art forms.<\/p>

She has received a full-ride scholarship to attend a two-year graduate program in sculpture at Penn State, but knows theater and performance art will pepper her work.<\/p>

“I just really like making things,” she said. “If there is an opportunity for me to do that I can’t say no.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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